Juvenile Records
Sponsor: Rep. Darneille
Adults should be able to put juvenile mistakes behind them, and not be denied educational, employment, and housing opportunities because of offenses committed as minors. Yet currently, it is easy for commercial entities to obtain records of juvenile offenses statewide. Some maintain shadow databases, which may not be promptly (if ever) purged when records are sealed, and these records prevent some former offenders from reintegrating into society.
The bill addresses this problem by restricting consumer reporting agencies from disseminating juvenile records to employers, landlords and other third parties after a person turns 21. And it establishes a task force to figure out how to cost-effectively restrict access to records of rehabilitated juvenile offenders. The measure was initiated by students in a University of Washington Law School clinic.
